Arrival in Ashgabat

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  Samanu
  Arrival in Ashgabat by morning flight. Ashgabat is capital and largest city of Turkmenistan even though it is relatively young city. In 2013 the Guinness Book of Records named Ashgabat “white marbled city” – here you can see the biggest number of structures in the world made out of the white marble
• Transfer to the Grand Turkmen hotel 4*. Early check-in and free time
• Free time. You can walk around the hotel; near the hotel, you can visit beautiful monument of Akhalteke horses, park of “Ylham” (Inspiration), “Altyn Asyr” trade market.

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  Nowruz celebrations
  Breakfast at the hotel.
• We will begin our tour in Ashgabat: you will visit Ruhyyet Palace, Wedding Palace, modern “Yildyz” Hotel, Ferries Wheel, Constitution Monument, Arch of Neutrality, Monument and park of Independence, Artogrul Gazy Mosque and other beauty sights of Ashgabat.
• You will be also taken to grandiose Square of Revival (Galkynysh) - a new administrative, business and cultural center of Ashgabat. Have a stroll along Ylham (Inspiration) Park.
• Drive 18 km from Ashgabat to Bagyr village to see Nissa fortress - the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings. UNESCO declared this fortress a World Heritage Site in 2007. Nissa was one of the first capitals of the Parthians. It was founded by Arsaces I (reigned 250 BC – 211 BC) and later Nissa became the royal necropolis of the Parthian Kings
• Visit the biggest Mosque in Central Asia - Saparmyrat Hajy Mosque
• Drive back to the hotel

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  Nowruz celebrations
  Breakfast in the hotel
• Drive to Turkmen Yayla – participation in Novruz Bayram Celebration. Navruz (also called Noruz, Nowruz, Nowrooz, and Nawruz), the spring "New Year" holiday, has been celebrated for at least 3000 years, and perhaps for as long as 5,000 years. Originating in Persia and long associated with the ancient Zoroastrian religion, its name means "new day" in Farsi because for ancient Persians it marked the first day of the New Year. On this day, Persian kings would have worn a crown with images of the annual solar cycle on their heads, participated in the divine mass in the Temple of Fire, and distributed generous gifts to citizens. Today, by the scale of festivities organised on governement level Turkmenistan has become the center of celebrations of the International Day of Nowruz. The main festivities in honor of this holiday take place in the sub-mountain valley of Akhal, in the historic land storing the layers of ancient civilizations. According to the centuries-old tradition, a picturesque place in the open air, where the spring expanse best suits the spirit and scale of the long-awaited event, is chosen for the large-scale celebration. They set up a Turkmen village from the oriental tale, hospitable and welcoming, open to friends and neighbors. Yurts with well-attended courtyards, a high swing and big white yurt stand behind the symbolic gates.
• Visit folk show, of five regions: Balkan, Ahal, Mary, Lebap and Dashoguz. The first thing the guests will see is a colorful bazaar that spread out just behind the main entrance, where street trading is in full swing. The bazaar offeres the entire range of handicrafts - colorful souvenirs, hats, skullcaps, musical instruments, household items, painted pots, carpets and jewelry, national embroidery. This action is accompanied by ancient melodies and songs performed by Bakhshi (singer-narrator), who attracts emotional listeners. At some distance, Palvans (strong men) wrestle and cheerful national games go on. In the old days, there was a special place for such games in a crowded area. Erected in the festively decorated square, the mock-ups of famous historical monuments of Turkmenistan - Kunyaurgench, Ancient Merv, Dehistan, Anau etc. – strengthened the feeling of an exciting journey into the ancient times.
• Drive back to Ashgabat. Overnight at Hotel.

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  Nowruz celebrations
  Breakfast
• Transfer to the airport. Flight to Mary.
• Drive to Bairamali city 35 km from Mary to explore the archaeological and historical jewels of the ancient Silk Road City.
• Visit ancient Merv – “Queen of the world”, one of the most important capitals of Islam along with Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus.
• Enjoy ancient Merv: Gyz Gala & Oglan Gala (VI-VII), Complex of Askhabs: Al Hakim Ibn Amr Al Jafari and Buraida Ibn Al Heseib Al Islami (VIII-XIV), Gyaur Gala (IV BC), Soltan Sanjar Mausoleum, Buddist Complex (IV-VI), Beni Makhan Mosque-first Mosque built in Central Asia.
• Mary city tour: The Central Theatre, The Convention & Conference Center "Ruhiyet Koshgi", Park & Monument of Mollanepes-the National Classic Poet.
• Visit Mary museum

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  Nowruz celebrations
  Breakfast
• Transfer to the airport and fly to Dashoguz
• Drive to Kunya Urgench (UNESCO 2005), ancient capital of Khorezm.
• Visit mausoleums of Il Arslan and Soltan Tekesh, Nejmeddin Kubra, Soltan Ali, Turabek-Khanum(12 th c), minaret of Kutlug Timur, MamunII

• 

  Nowruz celebrations
  Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the airport and fly to Ashgabat
• Drive to Gokdepe fortress that is associated with the battle in December 1880 when 6,000 Russian troops under General Mikhail Skobelev defeated 25,000 defenders of the fortress. Gokdepe Mosque was built to commemorate this defeat and it is famous for its mint-turquoise colored doom and white marble structure
• Visit horse farm to see over 30 beautiful Akhalteke horses – the pride of Turkmen people. Turkmens began breeding Akhalteke horses about 5,000 years ago and the result is amazing! These horses cannot interbreed with any other horses. Ancient rulers such as Alexander the Great and Darius I owned one of these horses

• Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the International airport of Ashgabat and fly out back home